克莱拉:        你好，泊莱科先生！是否能请你帮我一下？

泊莱科先生：当然啦，克莱拉。你今天好吗？我已经有一段时间没有看到你的父母了   ，他们生病了吗？

克莱拉：         是的，他们真的有点不舒服，所以我才到超市来买东西了。他们不能来，然而我的东西差不多都吃完了。

泊莱科先生：  哦，我会尽量帮你的。你需要什么？

克莱拉：         我想我对这个店还是比较熟悉的，但是我的个子不够高，要拿货架顶上的东西可能会有困难。而且我还不怎样知道该怎么样来确定哪些水果和蔬菜是熟了，哪些还是生的。我想我就是这些困难而已，另外就是怎样把买了的东西拿回家。我是否可以借用你的购物小推车在我买完东西后，用它把东西推回家？我回家后就把小车送回来，行吗？

泊莱科先生：不用担心，我们会有办法帮你把东西运回家的，这样你就不需要推着这购物小车过马路了。现在，你就自行先采集你要的东西。当你需要那放在货架高处的货物的时候，我会来帮你的。留在最后才去取那些新鲜的水果和蔬菜。到那时，我们会叫桑切斯先生来帮你的。他是那个部门的经理。我虽然是整个店的经理，但是每一个部门经理对他们自己的部门比我更了解。

克莱拉：         我对买肉还有点紧张。

泊莱科先生：如果在肉类部门有任何需要的话，就按那个铃，肉类部的工作人员艾荪斯太太就在后面。她一定会尽情帮你的。

克莱拉：         谢谢你，泊莱科先生。我妈妈早就知道你一定会尽量地帮我的，要知道我从来没有单独来买过菜。（她看了看她带来的购物单子，推着她那购物小车沿着商场过道，几乎毫无困难地找到了购物单上的绝大部分东西。）

泊莱科先生：克莱拉，你干的怎么样了？是不是要拿在货架高处的东西了？

克莱拉：      说实在的，我真干的不错。我已经基本上找到了我所要的东西了，所有的东西都是在我能够到的地方。你是不是帮我选一下咖啡？我对购货单上写的是“一磅咖啡”，但是没有写要什么样的咖啡。我只是知道要买能在自动煮咖啡机上用的咖啡。

泊莱科先生：这个牌子的咖啡这个礼拜是减价，但是你可能注意到另外这个和那个其他罐装的虽然没有减价，但是还是比这个减价的更便宜。这些就是非名牌产品，它们不使用漂亮的包装，而且它们也不打广告，所以这些产品的价格就比较低。有的人要买他们知道品牌，但是有的人说这些新的非名牌产品与名牌产品一样好。这一次，你为什么不试一试？

克莱拉：      好的，我来试一试，泊莱科先生。

泊莱科先生：我注意到你拿了两罐四分之一加仑的脱脂牛奶。这样买的话会比较贵的，你知道吗？

克莱拉：      我不知道啊！

泊莱科先生：如果你拿一个半加仑的塑胶罐，你就可以省二十到三十美分。

克莱拉：         啊呀，谢谢你告诉我。我觉得我在买菜方面还有很多要学的地方。我拿的这一包热狗香肠，你觉得怎样？

泊莱科先生：你选得很好，克莱拉。这是在这个预制肉类冷气柜里最合算的了。这个产品不仅是按分量来说是最便宜的，而且口味很好。你是不是也要一些夹热狗香肠的面包？这个面包没有在你的购物单上，可能你妈妈忘记写了。

克莱拉：      这个购物单是我爸爸写的。可能他真的忘记了。那面包在哪里？我要去拿一些，如果我们现在不用，可以把它们放在冰箱里。

泊莱科先生：这个想法不错！我说啊，你就在这里在看看，虽然你的购货单上没有写，想一想你家里还需要什么。放在你的购物小车里，在付款处付了钱。拿到家里，如果你的父母说不该买这些东西，你就那回来退好了。我们一定按原价退钱的。不管怎样，你在这里买菜，你应该有权作出决定要为家里买些什么。不要忘记当你到那一端肉类部门的时候，让艾荪斯太太帮你。

克莱拉：         谢谢你啦，泊莱科先生。

1.               这个对话是发生在什么地方？在这个对话中有那些人？

2.               为什么克莱拉一个人出来买菜？

3.               你觉得克莱拉有多大？

4.               她在什么方面需要别人帮忙？超市的经理提议怎样帮助她？

5.               课文中的“generic brand“ 是指什么？与常出现在广告中的牌子相比，它有什么优点和缺点？

6.               为什么买大包装比较便宜？

7.               你是不是在大型的连锁超市买菜？你喜欢这样的超市吗？

8.               在大型连锁超市里买东西，有什么优点和缺点？

9.               什么是“skim milk”？这与其他各种牛奶有什么不同？

10.           请描述一下在超市的付款处是怎样工作的。

11.           在一个大型的超市里有哪些部门？

12.           应该怎样才能知道商品按重量的价格？

13.           在你家每礼拜的购货单上会有什么样的商品？

14.           Mr. Sanchez 和Mrs. Athens 在那个部门工作

Clara:         Hi, Mr. Plank. Will you help me for a minute, please?

Mr. Plank:  Sure, Clara. How are you today? I haven’t seen your mother or father in a while. Are they sick?

Clara:       Yes, as a matter of fact, they aren’t feeling well. That’s why I’m here to do some grocery shopping. They’re not up to it, and we’re almost out of food.

Mr. Plank:  Well, I’ll do anything I can to help. What do you need?

Clara:       I think I know my way around the store, but I’m not tall enough to reach some of the things on high shelves. Also, I’m not very good at deciding which fruits and vegetables are ripe and which ones aren’t. I guess that’s all, except for getting home. Do you think I could borrow one of the shopping carts when I’m finished? I’d bring it right back after I pushed the groceries home.

Mr. Plank:     We’ll find a way to get you home so you don’t have to cross streets pushing that basket, Clara. Don’t worry about that. Now, why don’t you do all the shopping you can do alone. When you want me to reach for a high item, I’ll help you. Save the fresh produce for last. When the time comes, we’ll ask Mr. Sanchez to help you. He’s the produce manager. Even though I’m the manager of the whole store, the individual department managers know more about their areas than I do.

Clara:       I’m a little nervous about choosing meat too.

Mr. Plank:     If you need any help at the meat counter, just ring the bell for the butcher. Mrs. Athens is back there, and she’ll be glad to help you.

Clara:       Thank you , Mr. Plank. My mother said she was sure you’d be kind and help me. I’ve never done this alone before. (She consults her list and starts pushing her cart up and down the aisles. She finds most of what is on the list with no difficulty.)

Mr. Plank:     Well, how are you doing, Clara？Are you ready for my long reach yet?

Clara:       Actually, I’m doing pretty well. I’ve found almost everything, and it’s been in with in reach. Would you help me decide about coffee? My list says “a pound of coffee,” but it doesn’t say what kind. All I know is that is has to work in an automatic coffee maker.

Mr. Plank:     This brand is on sale this week, but you’ll notice that this other can is cheaper even though it’s not on sale. It’s called a generic brand; that is, there is no fancy label, and they never advertise, so they can keep the price down. Some people prefer a brand they know, but others say these new generic brands are equally good. Why not try it this one time?

Clara:       Okay, Mr. Plank, I will.

Mr. Plank:     I notice you have two quarts of skim milk. It’s more expensive to buy milk that way, you know.

Clara:       No, I didn’t.

Mr. Plank:     If you buy you half gallon in a half-gallon plastic bottle, you’ll save twenty to thirty cents.

Clara:       Gosh, thanks. I guess I have a lot to learn about grocery shopping. What do you think of this package of hot dogs that I picked?

Mr. Plank:     You did very well there, Clara. That’s the best buy in the prepared meats cooler. The price per pound is lower than any other brand, and they taste good. Will you want any hot dog buns to go along with the wieners? I know that’s not on your list, but perhaps your mother forgot.

Clara:       It was my father who made the list. Maybe he did forget. Where are they? I’ll get them, and if we don’t need them now, then I’ll freeze them.

Mr. Plank:     Good thinking! I’ll tell you what. You look around as see if there’s anything else that you think your family needs, even if it’s not on the list. Put it in your basket and pay for it at the checkout counter. Then when you get home, if you parents say they wish you hadn’t bought something, just bring it back. I’ll give you’re a full refund. After all, you’re here doing the shopping, so you should be allowed to make some independent decisions about what you need. And don’t forget to ask Mr. Sanchez for help when you get to the other side of the store.

Clara:       Thanks for all your help, Mr. Plank.

Discussion Questions:

1.          Where does this dialogue take place? What people take part in the dialogue?

2.          Why is Clara shopping alone?

3.          How old do you think she is?

4.          What does she need help with? How does the store manager offer to help?

5.          What is a generic brand? What advantages do generic brands have over more highly advertised brands? What disadvantages?

6.              Why is it cheaper to buy larger quantity containers?

7.           Do you shop in a large chain supermarket? How do you like it?

8.             What are the advantages and disadvantages of shopping in large chain stores?

9.             What is skim milk? How is it different from other kinds of milk?

10.           Describe what happens at a checkout counter.

11.        What departments are there in a large supermarket?

12.        How can you determine what the price per pound of an item is?

13.        What does your family’s normal weekly food shopping list have on it?

14.        Where do Mr. Sanchez and Mrs. Athens work?